Madonna to Pope Leo: 'Please go to Gaza before it's too late'

Pop icon Madonna has appealed to Pope Leo to visit Gaza, urging him to “bring your light to the children before it’s too late” as Israel’s military assault in the territory continues.

In an Instagram post on Monday, the singer expressed her anguish over the situation, saying that “as a mother, I cannot bear to watch their suffering."

"The children of the world belong to everyone. You are the only one of us who cannot be denied entry.”

Calling for “humanitarian gates to be fully opened to save these innocent children,” Madonna insisted that there was no time to waste. “Politics cannot effect change. Only consciousness can,” she wrote, explaining that she was appealing to “a man of God.”

The 66-year-old also tied her plea to a personal moment. “Today is my son Rocco’s birthday. I feel the best gift I can give to him as a mother is to ask everyone to do what they can to help save the innocent children caught in the crossfire in Gaza. I am not pointing fingers, placing blame or taking sides. Everyone is suffering,” she said.

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Madonna encouraged her followers to contribute to relief efforts, naming organisations including World Central Kitchen, Women Wage Peace, and Women of the Sun.

“I am merely trying to do what I can to keep these children from dying of starvation,” she said.